IV. Empathy
"Saite...? Kalui...? Saite! Kalui!"
"What green say?"
"Hush! She is having a nightmare..."
"Still not explain talk."
"Green wrong in head."
"What did I tell you? Be quiet or I will call the Matri-Mage! She is speaking her tongue... poor child's ill."
The voices faded. She couldn't understand them, yet knew their intentions were good. Although, where were Red and Purple? Why weren't they answering her? Why was it so cold...? Something warm was draped over her, wrapped tightly around her shivering body. It was welcome, but not what she wanted. She wanted her teacher and instructor with her now. She didn't know where she was or how she'd gotten there. It was so cold...
"Poor child... They must have abandoned her..."
"Abandoned?"
"Not wanted her. Left her to die Above."
"Why greens not want a child? Childs precious."
"Yes, yes... Keep her warm, you boys. She's very ill. I will bring the matter to the Matri-Mage."
"Yes, ma'am."
Frozen snow glittered under the weakness of the ice-world's sun. From the way the land was torn, it was obvious some great cataclysm had occurred in the past day or so. It had ripped from the hilltops, thundering down into a large patch of trees, blanketing them in six more feet of white. Rocks and other debris had cascaded down with the snow as well, pummeling the trees, even breaking some in two or three pieces. All was still, silent in the dawn air.
A sudden flurry of snow erupted from alongside one of the broken trees. Moments of struggle passed before the snow was quiet again. There was a faint gasping for precious air before the struggle restarted. Now, crimson eyes, set in a bruised, exhausted green face, were visible. With one arm, the Tallest fought his way free of the icy prison, feeling pain shoot through the right ankle and shoulder. He must have slammed into the tree on that side... Gasping in both pain and fatigue, Red hauled himself out, coming to lean heavily on the tree that had trapped him. His shoulder screamed every time he tried to move it. Even through the armor he'd been injured... Letting his right arm flop limply where it was, he checked his other injuries. Bruises all over, mainly. As he tried to remove his boot, he stopped, remembering.
Purple.
Glancing all around proved useless. From his vantage point, Red could see little of anything. His ankle prevented him from standing, but he was a Tallest! The hoverbelt sputtered, obviously damaged from the impact. It held his weight nonetheless. He looked around wildly, trying to find any sign of the other Tallest, anything at all in this white wasteland. Chances were though, after being buried in this stuff for... a long time, Purple wouldn't be conscious, probably wouldn't even be alive. He had to at least try. If Ivy were alive, and safe now, she wouldn't appreciate him sitting by on the count of a simple ankle and shoulder injury.
Anything, anything at all. A simple flash of purple armor, a twitch of an antennae... anything to show him Purple was here somewhere. Slowly, trying to save what power he still had for the hoverbelt, Red began to search over the rest of the area. He gave every inch he could a thorough sweep. There just had to be something he could find... there had to be! Hours went by, the sun gradually reaching its zenith before he collapsed with weariness he could no longer contain and a fear no Soldier training would contain. Red leaned against one of the smaller trees, panting and shivering. He'd had no luck. More than likely, Purple was dead... and so was Ivy. Red was the only one left. That frightened him.
The thought of never seeing either one again was more frightening to the Soldier than the knowledge that he would probably die out here in this freezing cold. He got to his feet again, limping in a circle to keep his blood circulating what warmth was left. He kicked snow, rubbed his arms, blew on his hands, did anything he could to keep warm as long as possible. A particularly hard kick into the snow left him with a stubbed foot. Red abruptly fell back into a sitting position, holding the appendage and cursing whatever it was he'd stubbed it against. Anger took hold. With a frustrated growl, he dug into the snow, feeling his fingers numb in the stuff, trying to find the offending object.
His fingers brushed something metallic.
Scarcely daring to hope, Red dug more frantically into the snow, sending it flying left and right. Bit by bit, a disturbing sight was unearthed. Red sat back, staring at it with a mix of disgust and relief. A purple banded wristguard, still attached to its owner's arm, lay half buried in the snow, the long, delicate fingers splayed limply. It looked almost as if the arm had been ripped off, though it was easy to see the arm merely vanished under the white.
Setting his jaw, Red dug more determinedly now, almost desperate to free the other Tallest. If there was any chance Purple was still alive... Bit by bit, the rest of the Student emerged from the snow. He was pale, exposed skin having a bluish twinge from the cold. As Red tugged him free, pulling him up to lay on his back beside the Soldier, Red noted how dented the chest plate was. That wasn't a good sign. Anything strong enough to beat up a Tallest's armor was strong enough to cause internal damage as well. Tallest Red was no med worker. He had no idea how to repair even a cut.
Nervously, he flicked one of Purple's antennae, trying to get a response. There was a very soft intake of breath but nothing more. At least he knew Purple was alive... However, neither of them could survive for long out here. He flicked the other Tallest's antennae again, this time making Purple's eyelids flutter a little. There were no ideas in Red's mind on how to get out of this mess. That was usually Purple's job. He sighed and huddled up against the log again, shifting every once in a while and nudging Purple's antennae with his good foot. Anything to keep alive.
She sat upright, completely awake for once in what seemed a long while. It was dark, but warm. Someone had covered her in something that felt like a blanket. Her curled antennae pricked, telling her someone else was here in this dark place with her. Someone small. "Hello...?" she called, snapping her mouth shut at the hoarse slur that came out instead of her usual voice.
There was a soft squeaking sound from somewhere nearby, followed by a soft patter of tiny feet. Scared now, she pulled the blanket tightly around her. It was still cold here. Where ever she was. How had she gotten here...? She remembered running through the snow... lying down under a bush... but why had she been running? Why weren't Red and Purple with her? She didn't feel good. As she was lying back down to try and sleep again, the feet patter returned, this time with light. A torch. Something she'd only read about in books.
Green eyes wide, Ivy sat up, afraid of what was coming to see her. Her fear soon left her. The little Irken lay inside a small cave, its floor sandy and its walls dry and warm. Standing at the tunnel entrance were four creatures smaller than any Irken Ivy had ever seen. They walked on two legs, like Irkens, but were in a shape resembled the squirrel creatures Ivy had seen in pictures. Only, their heads were larger and their tails smaller and less bushy. The two largest ones were covered in a dark brown, curled hair, with large ears and gleaming black eyes almost as large as their heads. One of them was decorated in black stones, polished and shaped to be jewelry, and carried an oddly shaped staff. The two others were small, having straight, white hair instead. Their eyes were smaller than the darker colored creatures. They carried the torches.
Ivy shivered. Their gazes frightened her. Her hated sense flared up again. She could tell they were only here to speak with her, not here to hurt her or eat her as she had originally thought. Her sense told her they had a way to communicate, a way to break the language barrier in a way Irkens had never used. This intrigued her.
The creature with the staff approached her, trilling curiously to the others, who squeaked in response. It walked with a limp, but did not lean on the staff. Two green stones, no bigger than pebbles, were clutched in its staff-less hand. One of the stones was set before Ivy, the other was kept in the creature's hand. After a few motions on the creature's part, the Irken picked up the small stone, careful not to lose it. Purple had taught her a bit of diplomacy. The creature squeaked to the stone it held, moving the tip of the staff around it in strange patterns. This went on for a while, until both stones glowed faintly in the torchlight.
"I thought it would never work! Ah, bless the Sun! I'm getting too old for this..."
Ivy jerked, staring stunned at the creature with black stones. It... it had... "You speak Irken...?" she croaked, trembling. Despite her sense, she was still frightened. "How...?"
"Irken... that's your language?" the one with black stones asked. It sounded old. "Ah, yes... I see now." Its huge eyes were shut. "Ivy. Your name is Ivy. You are from a place called Irk."
Another terrified jerk. "How did you know that?" Ivy swallowed. That thing... how had it known all that stuff about her? She glanced down at the stone and dropped it defiantly, folding her arms. "There! Now you don't know nothing!"
To her surprise, the black stone creature tipped its head at her and continued speaking Irken. "Poor thing, I have frightened you. Forgive me." The creature bowed its head. "This must all be strange to you. We apologize for scaring you."
"How... how'd I get here...? Where's Purple? Where's Red? Did you do something to them?" she cried, her voice beginning to lose the croak.
The stone-wearer shook its head. "Our males found you in the Above without protection. You were by yourself and were near freezing. They brought you down here. Please, little one, calm down. You are still weak." It turned to the two white creatures, whom Ivy assumed were male. "You two, Gos, Kep. Go get something for her to drink. Something warm. Go!" The males bowed their heads and scampered out. Stone-wearer, who was more than likely female, turned her head back to Ivy. "My manners escape me, I am Ki, Matri-Mage of this colony. We are Hinin. And this is our world you green... Irks have landed on."
"Irkens..." Ivy corrected instantly, trailing off as she tried to absorb all this. She huddled up under the blanket, still afraid. Why weren't Red and Purple here...? What was she supposed to do without them...?
Ki, that was her name, blinked up at the little Irken. "We will take care of you as long as they are gone," she answered the unspoken question. "I will also send a few troops of males out to search for any sign of these two you have such deep attachment to."
Again, Ivy cowered back. "How do you know all that stuff? Do you have some kind of data on me?" Her mind was racing for any logical solution, while part of it kept trying to reach out and prod this Ki's mind for answers.
A chirping laugh. "No little one, I am empathic. As are all Matri-mages. As are you."
Maybe it had been suicide to come out here. But, as usual, Red hadn't listened to Purple's warnings. His hotheadedness and the indulgence of a child's whim had gotten them all killed.
The sun was past its zenith, but the temperature was still below freezing. He'd gotten up several times to keep the blood moving as best he could through his veins. There was little he could do for the other Tallest, who seemed content to remain unconscious and freeze. Ice was crystallizing on the Student's pale face. Red had tried, as best he could, to keep both of them warm. He knew it wasn't working. They'd both die here.
And Ivy was most likely already dead.
If he hadn't been a Soldier... Red would have cried. Any Soldier in his position would have felt the same. You find a few things that are the dearest, most precious things in the world to you, and they are suddenly taken from you with hideous swiftness that leaves you no time to grieve. His fists clenched. How dare his training prevent him from mourning? How dare it?
There were times in his old life, he reflected, staring down at Purple's half-dead form, that he'd envied those who felt. They seemed so uninhibited by anything. Whereas, he, his life, was fully governed by the rigidity of the Soldier Class rules. Ivy had been a way for him to almost forget those rules, to be freer. But now...
Now what?
Now he was going to die.
The temperature was dropping as the sun inched closer to the horizon. There wasn't anything he could do to keep either one of them any warmer. They weren't going to last the night. Why no one had come to find them was a complete mystery. It was getting harder and harder to stay conscious. He kept hallucinating. Once, he could have sworn he'd seen Ivy in Tallest uniform, twirling gracefully across the snow, light in her green eyes. How dare fate taunt him like this! How dare it make him conjure up these thoughts of impossibilities! How dare it...
Red sat down against a log, leaning back. He felt his eyes closing, but he didn't care anymore. Everything he'd actually cared about was dead. Why did fate force him to live now? He wouldn't let fate control his life any longer.
Tallest Red fell asleep, the cold working its deadly way into his system as many pairs of dark eyes looked on.
In the dim of a cavern, dull violet eyes fluttered, straining against the weight of their lids. He had no idea where he was, why he was there, or why he hurt so badly. When he tried to sit up, small hands pushed him back down onto the soft pile of furry bedding beneath him. "It's okay, Pur..." a soft, familiar voice soothed. "S'okay..."
"Ivy...?" Now he forced his eyes to open. Disbelief made him stare without blinking for too long. He stared at her until his eyes were in as much pain as his chest. "Ivy-tam!"
She leaned over and gently wrapped her little arms around his neck. Tears were in her eyes. "They said you were dying... you and Red..." Ivy choked on her words. "I... you... you came after me..."
Purple nodded faintly, his eyes shut. He didn't trust his voice. The blankets he had were warm, Ivy was with him, he was alive. That was all that mattered. Ivy kept her hold on him, not wanting to let go. Her tears were warm against his still-freezing skin. How in the world had she come back to him? She'd been dead... frozen in the snow... and now she was here, crying into his neck because he was here with her.
A scuffling noise in the dark.
His antennae perked. "What...?" His voice cracked. Again, her hands forced him to stay down in the warm coverings. Again, he ventured a look around. There were tiny creatures surrounding them. Beady eyes set in coats of either white or dark brown. Some carried burning sticks. All of them stared at him. He could feel the familiar threads of panic riding in his mind. Were they here to harm them? Why was Ivy so calm?
One of them stepped forward, a look of definite dislike on its furred face. It wore strange, black stones in a necklace and walked with a cane. Ivy rose, entwining her fingers as best she could with his. To his complete shock, the creature began speaking Irken. "Hm. He's alive. That's more than we expected..." it said, its tone lofty.
"Red...? Is Red all right...?" Ivy's little hand tightened on his.
The one wearing stones snarled. "Unfortunately! He killed one of our best warriors!" Another cold, calculating stare at Purple. "If this one is anything like him..." Black eyes shut. "No... but the possibility... BAH!" It glared. "HIM. HE can live. The other will be sent to the Pit."
There was a small, chorus of squeaked cheers. Purple was confused. What were these creatures? Why were they talking about a pit? Where was Red...? And why was Ivy so afraid? He squeezed her hand with his fingers, trying to be more of a comfort, but she remained paralyzed. He bit his tongue, fighting the pain in his chest, sitting up to hold her. Ivy buried her face in his shoulder, shaking. "What... where's Red...?" he asked, noting with embarrassment the weakness in his voice.
"Why should you care?" the stone-wearer barked, shooting him a look of complete contempt. "He is a monster. Trained not to feel and to disregard the few things he is capable of really experiencing. How could you care for an abomination like that? How can you allow her to love him?"
Ivy stiffened in his arms. "Pur doesn't tell me what I can and can't feel," she growled. "Red's my 'structor! I love him and I know he loves me. You can't... you can't keep someone from loving their teacher." Purple tightened his hold on her. She acted so brave, even though he could tell she feared for their lives.
Stone-wearer narrowed its eyes. "I don't understand how you can tolerate that beast... If you don't wish his demise, you will stay away from the Pit, little one. Your mind will be hurt too much by your talent and his pain." With that, the creatures departed, save a plump one. It approached them hesitantly, holding something in its paws. With a squeak, it offered it up to Ivy, lapsing into hesitating Irken.
"She... she is ha... harsh," it said, timidly looking down at what it held. "He... he your... tee.. cher... is hurt... hurting. This... this will... help... help the pain..."
A small smile came to Ivy's lips at the broken, tentative offer. She delicately took the item from black paws. "It is to eat?" she asked, taking care to speak clearly and slowly for the little creature's sake.
The creature shook its head. "Is... is mi... mixed in... warm... a warm drink." Large ears perked at chattering coming from deeper in what seemed to be a network of caverns. "I... will... bring some for him. Be back..." With that, it scurried off, an urgency in its steps.
Seeing it go, Purple lay back down, having trouble breathing without pain. Ivy was beside him, tucking the blankets tighter around him, holding his fingers, just generally trying to be near him. "You didn't mean all that stuff..." she asked quietly. "about... shooting me into space... did you?"
By Irk... Not now. Not while Red might be being killed in some pit. Not while his chest hurt like this. Not after he'd just found her again. "No..." he murmured. "Irk knows I didn't... Ivy-tam... I... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean a word of it! I swear by Irk... I should never have said those things..." He didn't know what else to say. Anything else would sound like an excuse, and there was no excuse for what he'd said about her.
"I'm sorry too," Ivy whispered. She held his hand up to her cheek, using his wrist guard to hide the tears on her face. "I ran away and made you get hurt... and... I gave Red the slushy ball..."
"Ivy..." He gently freed his hand from her grasp and ran his fingers lightly over her antennae as he had when she had been younger. "Ivy-tam... don't you blame yourself. It was my fault... and Red's. We said those awful things... you had the right to be upset like that..." He pulled her into as tight a hug as he could manage. "Don't blame anyone but us..."
She shook. "I... I don't want Red to die, Pur..."
"Neither do I..."
"Don't you dare touch me with your slarking filthy paws, you sorry excuses for dust rats!"
"I see you're feeling better."
Red snarled. "What's it to you? You already said you're going to kill me anyway."
Before him, the furry creature wearing stones narrowed its eyes. About ten white creatures gathered behind it, primitive spears at the ready. They chattered amongst themselves as their tails lashed with the anticipation of battle. "We prefer our combatants to be," the stone-wearer began, pausing to recall the Irken word. "what is your word for it...? Oh, yes... vigorous, in order to provide the males with the entertainment required to keep their small minds busy."
"You kill things to keep your males occupied?" he sneered. Normally, not one of these things would be left alive by now. But after Irk knew how many days of being chained in this dark cave with healing limbs, Red was too tired to put up much more than a verbal fight. He had gathered, from what that rock-covered female said, that Purple was still alive and being looked after somewhere. Apparently, he was being treated better than Red was. Why the two weren't allowed to meet remained a mystery to him. You killed something around here, and you were hidden away from all else. "And you call me a barbarian monster..."
At this, the female bristled. Giving an angry squeak, she jammed her cane tip into his bootless ankle. Pain shot up his leg. Any lesser Irken would have cried out, but Red, being a Tallest, bit his tongue and showed his teeth to the creature. They had put his dislocated shoulder back into place, as well as wrapped his sprained ankle. Though, if this female didn't stop stabbing him there, the ankle would never heal right, despite the wrappings. He couldn't afford to walk with a limp. "Hmpf," she snorted, removing her cane. "You have a tolerance for pain that your friend does not. Pity it won't help you when your time comes."
He squirmed against his bonds. "You're hurting Purple? Why? Wha'd he do? Name more books than one of your scholars?" If he was going to die, he'd die with as many insults piled on these things as Irkenly possible. "That is, if you even have books."
"Gah! That's it!" She glared up at him, anger causing her deep eyes to gleam. "Your day to die comes tomorrow!" With that final threat, she scurried away, the white ones trailing after her as a guard.
The torches were taken, leaving Red to brood his fate in silent darkness. It didn't matter what sort of creature they threw at him. As long as he had a weapon, he could kill it. He could kill it with his wrist guards alone if he had to. Thank Irk the little things hadn't taken them. He needed battle plans... but how was he supposed to do that if he didn't know what they would throw at him? Grumpy and hurting, Red leaned against the wall of the cave, huddling up as best he could. He supposed he'd just have to make it up as he went along...
His antennae perked. Something was coming down the tunnel. He tensed, straining to hear better. Soon enough, a light appeared, coming closer to him. "Who's there?" he barked.
"M... me..." squeaked a voice in tentative Irken. "I... my name... is Vim. I... Ki... she is... she doesn't like you." The creature appeared around a corner. It was another female, smaller than that stone-wearing Ki, as well as rounder. She carried a small steaming cup in her paws. "I... your ank... ankle hurts... This will... make better..." She approached him, her head bowed slightly in respect, holding the cup towards him. "Here... Drink."
Red allowed himself a small smirk. At least some of these things knew how to treat a Tallest. "You're going to have to help me," he said. "I can't reach the cup."
Her eyes widened in a sudden fear. "S-sorry!" she stammered, hurrying to fix her mistake. "For-forgive me!" She was climbing up onto a small rock shelf at eye level with the Soldier. "Here..." It was offered again, in trembling paws.
"Eh... Didn't mean to scare you..." he muttered, thankful the dim light from the torch in the hall didn't show his embarrassment. "Thanks for... the whatever it is in that cup..."
"Welcome! Please, drink..." Her Irken was improving as she repeated words. She took a few steps closer, holding the cup at an angle that allowed Red to actually drink it. He must have made a face at its bitterness. "It... taste bad. Drink it... all. Make better!"
He managed to. "Ugh..." Red gagged, trying to hide his disgust in the flavor. "Maybe I should've tried it before I thanked you... whatever your name is."
"Vim."
"Yeah, okay, thanks Vim." He reclined against the wall behind him. The throbbing pain in his ankle was already subsiding. "Hey... um, that... Kit or Keep thingy--"
"Ki."
"Yeah, her. Does she have Pur chained up like this?"
Vim tipped her head to the side, blinking her huge eyes. "No," she replied finally, scratching the base of one ear. "Something... wrong with his... chest. Healers are... um... confused. He is... breathing... badly."
Red's antennae flicked. Bad news. Great. More bad news. Finding out one of your only friends was doing poorly on the same day you found out exactly how you were going to die. "Will he live?"
Another ear scratch. "Healers... aren't sure..." the little creature admitted. There was silence a while before she spoke again. "You have... good healers, better... than ours." She examined her paws. "He... needs them."
He frowned. "That's going to be hard." Miserably, he kicked at a pebble with his good foot. "Considering that Ki has decided I'm going to die here. She's probably given Pur the same fate as me."
Now Vim looked upset. "Sorry..." she murmured, her tail flicking. Suddenly, she brightened, looking up at him with a hopeful expression. "You win!" she exclaimed. "Beat the... others and you... you and... Per can leave!" Her black eyes sparkled.
Red considered this for a moment. "I think you have something there..." he mused. "If I defeat whatever Ki throws at me, she'll let me and Pur go home?" He would have liked to include Ivy's name with his and Purple's... but... he had to accept that by now, she was truly dead. They would have found her if it hadn't been for that blasted Ki creature. All the more reason for him to show her up and defeat his opponent. "I like that idea." Vengeance for Ivy's death would be his.
"Good!" Vim glanced around, her ears perked. "I... I will come back with... with news of... of your... a... a..."
"Opponent?"
"Yes! I will come back!"
Red watched her go. She seemed so sure that he would prevail. Ivy had... Ivy used to have that unwavering faith in him. And he had let the child down. He'd let her die a cold, lonely death in the snow. Red bit his lip, drawing a thin line of blood drip into his mouth. He wouldn't let Purple down like that. Ivy never would have let him forget it.
"Ivee."
She uncurled slowly. Vim was looking down at her, a fearful look in her black eyes. Beside her under the thick furs, Purple shivered, his pale face wincing as he breathed. "Is he okay?" she asked, disentangling herself from her teacher's grasp. "He's not... gonna die is he...?"
"Not... Per. Your... ins... your Red. He's... the Pit."
Cold that wasn't from the air in the cavern settled in Ivy's chest. "Where is this pit?" she asked. She was already on her feet, her small hands wrapping the furs tightly around her teacher to substitute for her absence. He coughed slightly, a few flecks of blood appearing around his mouth. Ivy wiped them away gently. This kept happening, and it worried her, as did his pain in breathing. She hoped he'd be all right.
Vim let out a gasp of horror. "Ivee! Em... empaths... don't go there! It... they hurt!" Paws gripped her gloved hand. "You will hurt too much!"
"I have to see Red. You stay here with Pur. Okay?"
The furry head shook. "My sons... stay. I am co... coming!" True to her word, two young males stepped out of the shadows, their white fur standing out in the torchlight. Ivy had learned their names. The elder brother was Kep, the younger Gos. Except for the size, Ivy saw no difference between the two. Black eyes glanced nervously from Purple to herself, then back to their mother. She nodded to them before snatching up and torch and hurrying off down a tunnel. Ivy jogged after her, holding the hem of her green dress up to enable herself to move faster.
She ran after Vim, down a twisting, wandering tunnel that was dark, save for her guide's torch. From the way the little creature moved, Ivy could tell she was afraid. Vim's fear was evident in her stride, and in her mind. Frantically, Ivy pulled back, fighting to remain in her own mind, with her own thoughts and feelings. She tripped over a rock in the path, her mind elsewhere. Vim skidded to a halt, hearing her soft cry. Ivy got back up. "I... I'm okay, Vim," she mumbled, checking her hands for injury. "Let's... let's keep going."
Her guide nodded, then ran on. Ivy hiked up her dress once more, following. She hoped they would be in time. Maybe if she were there, Red would be okay. There had to be something she could do to keep him safe. After all, he had protected her for eight years. So, why shouldn't she try and return his aid? She had already forgiven him for what he had said. She had feared for him too badly not to have. Please Red, she thought, please... be okay for me...
You didn't have to speak another language to know when you were being booed, Red decided.
The choice of weapons was the only thing to his liking. He only got one choice, but that was all he needed. Once of the five weapons offered was shaped something like a bati staff. Although, instead of a pronged top, it had a single blade, like the other end. No matter. He could use it. The crowd made odd noises that Red assumed was their form of laughter. This he ignored. Let them laugh. The staff was sturdy enough for his purpose.
According to Vim, he would have to fight several foes in succession. The first would not be hard, due to the fact he had only recently healed and the fact the males thought such a skinny creature would be easily killed. If he kept winning, the opponents would become more and more difficult. Though, he had only to defeat four before he was declared the overall winner, thus releasing Purple and himself from custody.
He was indeed in a pit. A very large pit. There were two doors at either end of it, and seating at the top edges for the male furred creatures to watch. The bottom, where he stood, was black sand with darker patches. Red assumed those patches were where the losers had been standing.
Such a sport disgusted him. At no point in their recorded history had Irkens even remotely considered killing for entertainment. It made him sick. Looking above him, he saw only white coats glinting in the torchlight. All the spectators were male. Not a single female was among them. He found that odd. Vim hadn't said anything about her race being sexist. Red shrugged it off.
There wasn't any more time to think.
Across from his position, the other door slid open on squeaky pulleys. There was something seething behind it, something living and thirsting for his rose-colored blood. He could barely make out a tangled mass of writhing limbs. Red took a tighter hold on his staff as his opponent moved out to face him. It had more legs than Red cared to count, each one sliding around its slender body protectively. The legs were armored, and from the way they moved, he could tell the body was not. That was its weak point. He could see fangs protruding from what he assumed was its mouth. They were a yellow-gray color, similar to the rest of the body, coated with slimy-looking brown hairs. The crowd was making a chorus of chanting squeaks. At their noises, the creature stood on two hind legs that had remained hidden beneath the web of others. Two more clawed at the air. Each leg was armed with claws as long as Red's antennae. Each claw was tainted with blood.
This thing moved slowly. If he circled on his robotic legs, he shouldn't have a problem evading it until he was ready to whack its head off. It gave a weird gurgling chatter, lumbering towards him. Red's robotic legs shot out, carrying him safely out of harm's way. It cried out again, some of its protective legs moving to the ground to chase after him. He smirked. Now, if he could get it to do that in front of him...
Something struck him in the back, knocking him to the ground. Red rolled, his hands tightening on the staff. His back stung where the thing's claw had gouged through his armor. Twisting around, Red could see the claw had barely broken the top layer of skin, so he was safe for the moment. His robotic legs came out.
The thing's protective legs came down in order to chase him. This was what Red had been waiting for. In a swift movement, the staff came down on a squishy spot. The thing whistled, obviously hurting. Red growled. The creature's body was thick. Violently, he wrenched the staff to the side, half-severing its upper section from the rest of it. Black blood spurted. More whistling of pain as more legs attempted to hide the hole from view. He took the chance and stabbed its other side.
It staggered backwards, whistling, bleeding, and the loser. The crowd hissed down at him. He didn't care. Raising his staff over his head in both hands, Red yelled back, grinning widely. A Soldier never forgot how to fight.
In another moment, the pulley door opened again. A larger creature loomed in the shadows. This one was more heavily armored than the last, with thick plates and long legs. It looked so horribly disproportioned that Red nearly laughed. Its body was squat, with a tiny, square head and slender legs shaped like the ones in his backpod. It had a stump of a tail armed with hefty spines. Every part of it appeared covered in the plates. That made him groan.
Before him, the creature opened its mouth, revealing long, serrated teeth. Its plates stood on end, rattling. Above, the crowd went wild, squeaking, chattering, making any noise it could. It was obvious that this thing had killed many already, and thus was a favorite in this awful pit. Red got up on his robotic legs, preparing for battle. For Ivy, he thought grimly. For her sake, he'd kill anything put before him. No matter if she were dead, he still owed it to her.
Red charged it, brandishing his staff. It rushed to meet him, its fangs bared.
By the time Ivy got to the pit, she knew she was too late to help.
"He... defeated two... foes!" Vim chittered, gazing down at the arena from the mouth of the tunnel. "Is.. winning!"
Ivy shuddered fiercely. This place was horrible. Death hung in the air, as did feelings of hate, violence, cruelty and a lust to for killing. The emotions assaulted her mind, tugging at her awareness, pulling her down to a place she did not want to be. She felt ill. Vim pawed at her leg, trying to reassure her. Numbly, she made her way down to the railing that lined this horrible pit. The males around her let out not so subtle hisses at she and Vim's presence, as females were obviously not allowed here.
Her little gloved hands gripped the railing, green eyes wide and staring. Red was down there, she could see him. Two bodies of creatures Ivy had never seen before lay slain on the floor, their dark blood mixing with light-colored sand, and rose-colored blood. It was like a scene from Ivy's nightmares. Only she couldn't wake up from this one, to have Red and Purple comfort her tears away. Purple was dying of something she barely understood and Red was busy.
Frightened, she looked down at him. He was crouched in a corner, supporting himself on only three mechanical legs. The forth was wedged into the mouth of a new horror, this one shaped like a great serpent with great, shoveling claws all along its sleek, furred sides. She froze, trembling with fear. Red was bleeding from wounds Ivy failed to see. No one would stop this, she knew that much from the roiling emotions around her. Vim pressed up against her side, shaking almost as badly as she. "Thi... I seen that... one. It kill many..." the furry one murmured.
"Red..." Ivy said softly. "M'gonna lose him... he's gonna die..." Tears formed in her eyes. "And Pur's going to die too..." She had to do something! There was no way she could bear to lose them again. "RED!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the cavern. "DON'T DIE!"
His head jerked up, pained red eyes locking on her green gems. For a moment, the two stared at one another, something private passing between Student and Soldier. Then, Red struggled to his feet, leaning heavily on his weapon. His gaze locked with hers again, searching her green depths for something only he knew to look for. She wiped away a few tears, nodding to him.
The serpent struck, only to find its lower jaw spiked by the Irken's weapon. Shrieking, the creature wrenched away, one of its claws hooking around Red's legs, landing him flat on his back. He didn't move.
Ivy's hands were pressed tightly to her chest, her eyes even larger than they had been earlier. Soft words came from her lips, meant for no one but the Irken she stared so intensely at. Amazingly, his antennae twitched faintly, as if he could really hear her voice. As the serpent struck again, he rolled sideways. His foe's jaws buried themselves in rose stained sand instead of green flesh. Red was up now, teetering on three robotic legs. His weapon struck and came away with a few spines attached to a glob of brown serpent meat. Then, he was running, each robotic stride sending visible, physical, pain through his body. Behind his limping form, the serpent snapped its strong jaws, gaining on the wounded Soldier. It knocked him down in a simple flick of its head.
This time, Red showed no signs of getting back up. He lay on the sand, crumpled and broken, like the toy Soldier he'd given Ivy. It had been stepped on by a technician, then had never marched across her floor again, despite Red's clumsy attempts to fix its fractured circuits. The memory made more tears run down the child's pale green cheeks. She didn't need another broken doll.
Trembling horribly, Ivy focused on his face once more. She felt his pain as clearly as if it were her own, each injury lacerating her tender young skin. Hesitantly, she did as she had before, pulling the emotion of pain away from his mind, letting it fade safely out into the air around her. It took almost too much effort on the part of the Irken child. By the time Red was able to move again, she was near collapse. Vim, the constant presence against her leg, had to stabilize her before she fell on the hard, cold stone.
Even with his unseen aid, Red was in a losing fight. She knew it, he knew it, and the serpent knew it. It struck again, and again, in faster succession, its head weaving mercilessly. The Soldier kept fending off the blows to the best of his ability. He had never lost a fight before, never intended to do so. He was just so... tired... Blood from his wounds colored the sand. It hurt, looking up at Ivy. To know he would fail with her watching. To know she would see her unfailing Red be slain.
When the serpent struck next, he was almost ready to accept his fate. The world slowed to a fraction of its normal pace. All the sounds around him were muffled into a blur that only the horrified screams of Ivy could pierce. In slow motion, he saw the serpent strike, and his staff swing up to meet it. His pulse hummed in his head, loud, but never drowning out Ivy's voice. A gash appeared in the furred throat. The serpent kept coming, its mouth wide. Red threw himself sideways, cutting a new, horizontal hole in the thing's neck. It hissed. The head moved from side to side, trying to locate him. He dropped to his knees. This was it. He had to kill it now or be killed. Arm muscles straining, he heaved his staff up into its ribs, pushing it through the body as hard and with as much force as he had left. The serpent let out a loud shriek, writhed on the staff... and then fell, limp, as death took its hold.
Red didn't move for a moment. When the dust had begun to settle from the serpent's fall, he cautiously rose, dazed after the ordeal. He ached. Crimson eyes sought jade eyes, found them, and then softened slightly in a half-smile. He fell then, collapsing down onto the sand with a soft puff of displaced earth.
...... "Take them and go. There is a tunnel that comes up almost within the boarders of your camp. You will have an escort of our finest, as well as your friend Vim."
"Thank you Ki..."
"Bah. Don't tell the rest of your kind. I doubt those two will remember this, thank the Sun. They won't wake up unless they get medicinal care, you realize."
"Yes, Ki."
"Good. They will both last the journey there. It isn't a long one, using our roadways. Get going though. You will need all the time you can spare."
"Ki?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you...?"
"Don't ask me that, Ivy. I don't wish to speak of this right now. Be careful in your life. Your gift may cause you pain." ......
Ivy turned the conversation over and over in her head. She was safe at last in her quarters in the Irken encampment. The Tallest were in the medical building, their needs being seen to by the great med-teams of the Armada. Their journey along the roads of the subterranean Hinin had been uneventful. Vim had come with them, ordering their escort around like they were her own children, instead of veteran warriors. The memory brought a little smile to her face. However, the memory of their goodbye banished all trace of joy from her young visage. She would miss Vim. The furred female had been her only friend in that dark place, her only comfort during Red's fight and Purple's lapses from consciousness to unconsciousness. This new hurt would heal in time.
In her hands was the old Soldier figure. By anyone's reckoning, eight was too old for dolls. But this one was different. Maybe it was the fact that it was broken. Or maybe it was something she just couldn't grasp. Either way, the doll seemed to practically beg for her love from its sad, immobile position in her hands. She turned it a few times, studying its fragile make. So easy to break, and so hard to put back together again. Quietly, Ivy gazed into the blank red eyes of the doll she held. These eyes would never show their pain, nor would they glow with love. Yet, she cared for the little thing all the same. Someday, she would have to take it to be fixed. Then, maybe it would work again, it would move and dance and show emotion in its eyes as it once had.
Her antennae perked. There were footsteps outside her door. They were not the footsteps of a healthy guard, but the slow, apprehensive tread of someone being mindful of their footing. Her little body went tense. The door to her room opened with a muted hiss.
"Hey, Vee..."
It was hard not to rush over and hug Red close to her. He looked so frail, his injuries wrapped securely, and his body supported on his robotic legs and hover belt combined. She was afraid of breaking him with too tight a hold or too hasty a run to his side. Any miscalculation on her part could result in his pain increasing. She moved sideways on her bed, giving him room to rest. Red gave her a grateful smile, sinking down on the soft surface beside her. To her surprise, he grabbed her and held her tightly, nearly crushing her against his chest armor. His strength was a shock. She hugged him back, her own meager power in stark comparison with his.
"You know I never meant what I said, right?"
She nodded. "Thank you..." Ivy whispered.
Red seemed confused. "For what, Vee?" With the utmost care, his fingers lifted her chin so he could see her green eyes. He wore a soft smile.
"For coming after me..." The little Irken squirmed, uncomfortable.
"Oh. That's nothing, Ivy. You don't need to thank me for something like that. That's like thanking me for making sure you have a bed. It's not necessary." He smirked, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. "Come on! Pur's up. Wanna go see him? Maybe we can bring him a ball of slush."
Ivy forced a laugh.
It was a visible effort for Red to get up, though he made it a point to say nothing on the subject. It just wasn't Red's way. Ivy followed him attentively. He may not have asked for this, but his whole posture begged for her to stay near him. Irkens parted hastily, and Red nodded a nearly unnoticeable thanks to them. He never uttered a word about fearing for her life. The walk to Purple's room wasn't far. Even so, it took longer than Ivy would have thought to get there.
Her teacher was sitting upright, in bed, his fragile wrists attached to monitors. His skin had returned to a more normal shade of green. Though his chest armor was removed for the marks of surgery to heal, it was apparent he would heal soon. The Tallest had a book open across his knees, his face set in concentration. When he saw them, though, he smiled widely, setting the book aside to make room to hold his student. As she hugged him, Ivy made certain to hold him more gently than she had Red. Purple could shatter where Red would only break.
"Ivy-tam," Purple sighed into her antennae. "Thank Irk... Thank Irk we're all here now..."
The other Tallest sat down heavily on the bed, allowing himself a few complaints of soreness. "Yeah, Vee, next time you run off, it better be on Irk," he muttered, though he wasn't angry. "I'm too experienced to be beating up crazy alien things on your behalf, kid. And Pur here's never been in any shape to stand up to the forces of nature, even for his student."
"If I had a stick, I'd jab you in the eye." Purple was snickering anyway, running his fingers through Ivy's antennae.
"And then I'd rip it out of your hands and beat you with it," Red said, folding his arms smugly. "So there."
The little female curled closer to her teacher, watching both Tallest with a careful eye. She felt such an overwhelming love for them right now. They had paid for their hurtful argument in physical pain, and tried to make it up to her by coming for her, defending her, and protecting her as they always had. Her life had never been a lie. That she was thankful for. She was thankful for their protection, and their love. More thankful than she had ever been. She could feel how much they loved her. The emotion radiated in her mind like the warmth from Irk's sun, or the heat from the vents in each room. Empathy, Ki had called it. What exactly it was didn't worry her. All she worried now was keeping her Tallest alive, letting them heal back to their old selves.
Ivy let their conversation wash over her, merely basking in their care.
"Saite...? Kalui...? Saite! Kalui!"
"What green say?"
"Hush! She is having a nightmare..."
"Still not explain talk."
"Green wrong in head."
"What did I tell you? Be quiet or I will call the Matri-Mage! She is speaking her tongue... poor child's ill."
The voices faded. She couldn't understand them, yet knew their intentions were good. Although, where were Red and Purple? Why weren't they answering her? Why was it so cold...? Something warm was draped over her, wrapped tightly around her shivering body. It was welcome, but not what she wanted. She wanted her teacher and instructor with her now. She didn't know where she was or how she'd gotten there. It was so cold...
"Poor child... They must have abandoned her..."
"Abandoned?"
"Not wanted her. Left her to die Above."
"Why greens not want a child? Childs precious."
"Yes, yes... Keep her warm, you boys. She's very ill. I will bring the matter to the Matri-Mage."
"Yes, ma'am."
Frozen snow glittered under the weakness of the ice-world's sun. From the way the land was torn, it was obvious some great cataclysm had occurred in the past day or so. It had ripped from the hilltops, thundering down into a large patch of trees, blanketing them in six more feet of white. Rocks and other debris had cascaded down with the snow as well, pummeling the trees, even breaking some in two or three pieces. All was still, silent in the dawn air.
A sudden flurry of snow erupted from alongside one of the broken trees. Moments of struggle passed before the snow was quiet again. There was a faint gasping for precious air before the struggle restarted. Now, crimson eyes, set in a bruised, exhausted green face, were visible. With one arm, the Tallest fought his way free of the icy prison, feeling pain shoot through the right ankle and shoulder. He must have slammed into the tree on that side... Gasping in both pain and fatigue, Red hauled himself out, coming to lean heavily on the tree that had trapped him. His shoulder screamed every time he tried to move it. Even through the armor he'd been injured... Letting his right arm flop limply where it was, he checked his other injuries. Bruises all over, mainly. As he tried to remove his boot, he stopped, remembering.
Purple.
Glancing all around proved useless. From his vantage point, Red could see little of anything. His ankle prevented him from standing, but he was a Tallest! The hoverbelt sputtered, obviously damaged from the impact. It held his weight nonetheless. He looked around wildly, trying to find any sign of the other Tallest, anything at all in this white wasteland. Chances were though, after being buried in this stuff for... a long time, Purple wouldn't be conscious, probably wouldn't even be alive. He had to at least try. If Ivy were alive, and safe now, she wouldn't appreciate him sitting by on the count of a simple ankle and shoulder injury.
Anything, anything at all. A simple flash of purple armor, a twitch of an antennae... anything to show him Purple was here somewhere. Slowly, trying to save what power he still had for the hoverbelt, Red began to search over the rest of the area. He gave every inch he could a thorough sweep. There just had to be something he could find... there had to be! Hours went by, the sun gradually reaching its zenith before he collapsed with weariness he could no longer contain and a fear no Soldier training would contain. Red leaned against one of the smaller trees, panting and shivering. He'd had no luck. More than likely, Purple was dead... and so was Ivy. Red was the only one left. That frightened him.
The thought of never seeing either one again was more frightening to the Soldier than the knowledge that he would probably die out here in this freezing cold. He got to his feet again, limping in a circle to keep his blood circulating what warmth was left. He kicked snow, rubbed his arms, blew on his hands, did anything he could to keep warm as long as possible. A particularly hard kick into the snow left him with a stubbed foot. Red abruptly fell back into a sitting position, holding the appendage and cursing whatever it was he'd stubbed it against. Anger took hold. With a frustrated growl, he dug into the snow, feeling his fingers numb in the stuff, trying to find the offending object.
His fingers brushed something metallic.
Scarcely daring to hope, Red dug more frantically into the snow, sending it flying left and right. Bit by bit, a disturbing sight was unearthed. Red sat back, staring at it with a mix of disgust and relief. A purple banded wristguard, still attached to its owner's arm, lay half buried in the snow, the long, delicate fingers splayed limply. It looked almost as if the arm had been ripped off, though it was easy to see the arm merely vanished under the white.
Setting his jaw, Red dug more determinedly now, almost desperate to free the other Tallest. If there was any chance Purple was still alive... Bit by bit, the rest of the Student emerged from the snow. He was pale, exposed skin having a bluish twinge from the cold. As Red tugged him free, pulling him up to lay on his back beside the Soldier, Red noted how dented the chest plate was. That wasn't a good sign. Anything strong enough to beat up a Tallest's armor was strong enough to cause internal damage as well. Tallest Red was no med worker. He had no idea how to repair even a cut.
Nervously, he flicked one of Purple's antennae, trying to get a response. There was a very soft intake of breath but nothing more. At least he knew Purple was alive... However, neither of them could survive for long out here. He flicked the other Tallest's antennae again, this time making Purple's eyelids flutter a little. There were no ideas in Red's mind on how to get out of this mess. That was usually Purple's job. He sighed and huddled up against the log again, shifting every once in a while and nudging Purple's antennae with his good foot. Anything to keep alive.
She sat upright, completely awake for once in what seemed a long while. It was dark, but warm. Someone had covered her in something that felt like a blanket. Her curled antennae pricked, telling her someone else was here in this dark place with her. Someone small. "Hello...?" she called, snapping her mouth shut at the hoarse slur that came out instead of her usual voice.
There was a soft squeaking sound from somewhere nearby, followed by a soft patter of tiny feet. Scared now, she pulled the blanket tightly around her. It was still cold here. Where ever she was. How had she gotten here...? She remembered running through the snow... lying down under a bush... but why had she been running? Why weren't Red and Purple with her? She didn't feel good. As she was lying back down to try and sleep again, the feet patter returned, this time with light. A torch. Something she'd only read about in books.
Green eyes wide, Ivy sat up, afraid of what was coming to see her. Her fear soon left her. The little Irken lay inside a small cave, its floor sandy and its walls dry and warm. Standing at the tunnel entrance were four creatures smaller than any Irken Ivy had ever seen. They walked on two legs, like Irkens, but were in a shape resembled the squirrel creatures Ivy had seen in pictures. Only, their heads were larger and their tails smaller and less bushy. The two largest ones were covered in a dark brown, curled hair, with large ears and gleaming black eyes almost as large as their heads. One of them was decorated in black stones, polished and shaped to be jewelry, and carried an oddly shaped staff. The two others were small, having straight, white hair instead. Their eyes were smaller than the darker colored creatures. They carried the torches.
Ivy shivered. Their gazes frightened her. Her hated sense flared up again. She could tell they were only here to speak with her, not here to hurt her or eat her as she had originally thought. Her sense told her they had a way to communicate, a way to break the language barrier in a way Irkens had never used. This intrigued her.
The creature with the staff approached her, trilling curiously to the others, who squeaked in response. It walked with a limp, but did not lean on the staff. Two green stones, no bigger than pebbles, were clutched in its staff-less hand. One of the stones was set before Ivy, the other was kept in the creature's hand. After a few motions on the creature's part, the Irken picked up the small stone, careful not to lose it. Purple had taught her a bit of diplomacy. The creature squeaked to the stone it held, moving the tip of the staff around it in strange patterns. This went on for a while, until both stones glowed faintly in the torchlight.
"I thought it would never work! Ah, bless the Sun! I'm getting too old for this..."
Ivy jerked, staring stunned at the creature with black stones. It... it had... "You speak Irken...?" she croaked, trembling. Despite her sense, she was still frightened. "How...?"
"Irken... that's your language?" the one with black stones asked. It sounded old. "Ah, yes... I see now." Its huge eyes were shut. "Ivy. Your name is Ivy. You are from a place called Irk."
Another terrified jerk. "How did you know that?" Ivy swallowed. That thing... how had it known all that stuff about her? She glanced down at the stone and dropped it defiantly, folding her arms. "There! Now you don't know nothing!"
To her surprise, the black stone creature tipped its head at her and continued speaking Irken. "Poor thing, I have frightened you. Forgive me." The creature bowed its head. "This must all be strange to you. We apologize for scaring you."
"How... how'd I get here...? Where's Purple? Where's Red? Did you do something to them?" she cried, her voice beginning to lose the croak.
The stone-wearer shook its head. "Our males found you in the Above without protection. You were by yourself and were near freezing. They brought you down here. Please, little one, calm down. You are still weak." It turned to the two white creatures, whom Ivy assumed were male. "You two, Gos, Kep. Go get something for her to drink. Something warm. Go!" The males bowed their heads and scampered out. Stone-wearer, who was more than likely female, turned her head back to Ivy. "My manners escape me, I am Ki, Matri-Mage of this colony. We are Hinin. And this is our world you green... Irks have landed on."
"Irkens..." Ivy corrected instantly, trailing off as she tried to absorb all this. She huddled up under the blanket, still afraid. Why weren't Red and Purple here...? What was she supposed to do without them...?
Ki, that was her name, blinked up at the little Irken. "We will take care of you as long as they are gone," she answered the unspoken question. "I will also send a few troops of males out to search for any sign of these two you have such deep attachment to."
Again, Ivy cowered back. "How do you know all that stuff? Do you have some kind of data on me?" Her mind was racing for any logical solution, while part of it kept trying to reach out and prod this Ki's mind for answers.
A chirping laugh. "No little one, I am empathic. As are all Matri-mages. As are you."
Maybe it had been suicide to come out here. But, as usual, Red hadn't listened to Purple's warnings. His hotheadedness and the indulgence of a child's whim had gotten them all killed.
The sun was past its zenith, but the temperature was still below freezing. He'd gotten up several times to keep the blood moving as best he could through his veins. There was little he could do for the other Tallest, who seemed content to remain unconscious and freeze. Ice was crystallizing on the Student's pale face. Red had tried, as best he could, to keep both of them warm. He knew it wasn't working. They'd both die here.
And Ivy was most likely already dead.
If he hadn't been a Soldier... Red would have cried. Any Soldier in his position would have felt the same. You find a few things that are the dearest, most precious things in the world to you, and they are suddenly taken from you with hideous swiftness that leaves you no time to grieve. His fists clenched. How dare his training prevent him from mourning? How dare it?
There were times in his old life, he reflected, staring down at Purple's half-dead form, that he'd envied those who felt. They seemed so uninhibited by anything. Whereas, he, his life, was fully governed by the rigidity of the Soldier Class rules. Ivy had been a way for him to almost forget those rules, to be freer. But now...
Now what?
Now he was going to die.
The temperature was dropping as the sun inched closer to the horizon. There wasn't anything he could do to keep either one of them any warmer. They weren't going to last the night. Why no one had come to find them was a complete mystery. It was getting harder and harder to stay conscious. He kept hallucinating. Once, he could have sworn he'd seen Ivy in Tallest uniform, twirling gracefully across the snow, light in her green eyes. How dare fate taunt him like this! How dare it make him conjure up these thoughts of impossibilities! How dare it...
Red sat down against a log, leaning back. He felt his eyes closing, but he didn't care anymore. Everything he'd actually cared about was dead. Why did fate force him to live now? He wouldn't let fate control his life any longer.
Tallest Red fell asleep, the cold working its deadly way into his system as many pairs of dark eyes looked on.
In the dim of a cavern, dull violet eyes fluttered, straining against the weight of their lids. He had no idea where he was, why he was there, or why he hurt so badly. When he tried to sit up, small hands pushed him back down onto the soft pile of furry bedding beneath him. "It's okay, Pur..." a soft, familiar voice soothed. "S'okay..."
"Ivy...?" Now he forced his eyes to open. Disbelief made him stare without blinking for too long. He stared at her until his eyes were in as much pain as his chest. "Ivy-tam!"
She leaned over and gently wrapped her little arms around his neck. Tears were in her eyes. "They said you were dying... you and Red..." Ivy choked on her words. "I... you... you came after me..."
Purple nodded faintly, his eyes shut. He didn't trust his voice. The blankets he had were warm, Ivy was with him, he was alive. That was all that mattered. Ivy kept her hold on him, not wanting to let go. Her tears were warm against his still-freezing skin. How in the world had she come back to him? She'd been dead... frozen in the snow... and now she was here, crying into his neck because he was here with her.
A scuffling noise in the dark.
His antennae perked. "What...?" His voice cracked. Again, her hands forced him to stay down in the warm coverings. Again, he ventured a look around. There were tiny creatures surrounding them. Beady eyes set in coats of either white or dark brown. Some carried burning sticks. All of them stared at him. He could feel the familiar threads of panic riding in his mind. Were they here to harm them? Why was Ivy so calm?
One of them stepped forward, a look of definite dislike on its furred face. It wore strange, black stones in a necklace and walked with a cane. Ivy rose, entwining her fingers as best she could with his. To his complete shock, the creature began speaking Irken. "Hm. He's alive. That's more than we expected..." it said, its tone lofty.
"Red...? Is Red all right...?" Ivy's little hand tightened on his.
The one wearing stones snarled. "Unfortunately! He killed one of our best warriors!" Another cold, calculating stare at Purple. "If this one is anything like him..." Black eyes shut. "No... but the possibility... BAH!" It glared. "HIM. HE can live. The other will be sent to the Pit."
There was a small, chorus of squeaked cheers. Purple was confused. What were these creatures? Why were they talking about a pit? Where was Red...? And why was Ivy so afraid? He squeezed her hand with his fingers, trying to be more of a comfort, but she remained paralyzed. He bit his tongue, fighting the pain in his chest, sitting up to hold her. Ivy buried her face in his shoulder, shaking. "What... where's Red...?" he asked, noting with embarrassment the weakness in his voice.
"Why should you care?" the stone-wearer barked, shooting him a look of complete contempt. "He is a monster. Trained not to feel and to disregard the few things he is capable of really experiencing. How could you care for an abomination like that? How can you allow her to love him?"
Ivy stiffened in his arms. "Pur doesn't tell me what I can and can't feel," she growled. "Red's my 'structor! I love him and I know he loves me. You can't... you can't keep someone from loving their teacher." Purple tightened his hold on her. She acted so brave, even though he could tell she feared for their lives.
Stone-wearer narrowed its eyes. "I don't understand how you can tolerate that beast... If you don't wish his demise, you will stay away from the Pit, little one. Your mind will be hurt too much by your talent and his pain." With that, the creatures departed, save a plump one. It approached them hesitantly, holding something in its paws. With a squeak, it offered it up to Ivy, lapsing into hesitating Irken.
"She... she is ha... harsh," it said, timidly looking down at what it held. "He... he your... tee.. cher... is hurt... hurting. This... this will... help... help the pain..."
A small smile came to Ivy's lips at the broken, tentative offer. She delicately took the item from black paws. "It is to eat?" she asked, taking care to speak clearly and slowly for the little creature's sake.
The creature shook its head. "Is... is mi... mixed in... warm... a warm drink." Large ears perked at chattering coming from deeper in what seemed to be a network of caverns. "I... will... bring some for him. Be back..." With that, it scurried off, an urgency in its steps.
Seeing it go, Purple lay back down, having trouble breathing without pain. Ivy was beside him, tucking the blankets tighter around him, holding his fingers, just generally trying to be near him. "You didn't mean all that stuff..." she asked quietly. "about... shooting me into space... did you?"
By Irk... Not now. Not while Red might be being killed in some pit. Not while his chest hurt like this. Not after he'd just found her again. "No..." he murmured. "Irk knows I didn't... Ivy-tam... I... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean a word of it! I swear by Irk... I should never have said those things..." He didn't know what else to say. Anything else would sound like an excuse, and there was no excuse for what he'd said about her.
"I'm sorry too," Ivy whispered. She held his hand up to her cheek, using his wrist guard to hide the tears on her face. "I ran away and made you get hurt... and... I gave Red the slushy ball..."
"Ivy..." He gently freed his hand from her grasp and ran his fingers lightly over her antennae as he had when she had been younger. "Ivy-tam... don't you blame yourself. It was my fault... and Red's. We said those awful things... you had the right to be upset like that..." He pulled her into as tight a hug as he could manage. "Don't blame anyone but us..."
She shook. "I... I don't want Red to die, Pur..."
"Neither do I..."
"Don't you dare touch me with your slarking filthy paws, you sorry excuses for dust rats!"
"I see you're feeling better."
Red snarled. "What's it to you? You already said you're going to kill me anyway."
Before him, the furry creature wearing stones narrowed its eyes. About ten white creatures gathered behind it, primitive spears at the ready. They chattered amongst themselves as their tails lashed with the anticipation of battle. "We prefer our combatants to be," the stone-wearer began, pausing to recall the Irken word. "what is your word for it...? Oh, yes... vigorous, in order to provide the males with the entertainment required to keep their small minds busy."
"You kill things to keep your males occupied?" he sneered. Normally, not one of these things would be left alive by now. But after Irk knew how many days of being chained in this dark cave with healing limbs, Red was too tired to put up much more than a verbal fight. He had gathered, from what that rock-covered female said, that Purple was still alive and being looked after somewhere. Apparently, he was being treated better than Red was. Why the two weren't allowed to meet remained a mystery to him. You killed something around here, and you were hidden away from all else. "And you call me a barbarian monster..."
At this, the female bristled. Giving an angry squeak, she jammed her cane tip into his bootless ankle. Pain shot up his leg. Any lesser Irken would have cried out, but Red, being a Tallest, bit his tongue and showed his teeth to the creature. They had put his dislocated shoulder back into place, as well as wrapped his sprained ankle. Though, if this female didn't stop stabbing him there, the ankle would never heal right, despite the wrappings. He couldn't afford to walk with a limp. "Hmpf," she snorted, removing her cane. "You have a tolerance for pain that your friend does not. Pity it won't help you when your time comes."
He squirmed against his bonds. "You're hurting Purple? Why? Wha'd he do? Name more books than one of your scholars?" If he was going to die, he'd die with as many insults piled on these things as Irkenly possible. "That is, if you even have books."
"Gah! That's it!" She glared up at him, anger causing her deep eyes to gleam. "Your day to die comes tomorrow!" With that final threat, she scurried away, the white ones trailing after her as a guard.
The torches were taken, leaving Red to brood his fate in silent darkness. It didn't matter what sort of creature they threw at him. As long as he had a weapon, he could kill it. He could kill it with his wrist guards alone if he had to. Thank Irk the little things hadn't taken them. He needed battle plans... but how was he supposed to do that if he didn't know what they would throw at him? Grumpy and hurting, Red leaned against the wall of the cave, huddling up as best he could. He supposed he'd just have to make it up as he went along...
His antennae perked. Something was coming down the tunnel. He tensed, straining to hear better. Soon enough, a light appeared, coming closer to him. "Who's there?" he barked.
"M... me..." squeaked a voice in tentative Irken. "I... my name... is Vim. I... Ki... she is... she doesn't like you." The creature appeared around a corner. It was another female, smaller than that stone-wearing Ki, as well as rounder. She carried a small steaming cup in her paws. "I... your ank... ankle hurts... This will... make better..." She approached him, her head bowed slightly in respect, holding the cup towards him. "Here... Drink."
Red allowed himself a small smirk. At least some of these things knew how to treat a Tallest. "You're going to have to help me," he said. "I can't reach the cup."
Her eyes widened in a sudden fear. "S-sorry!" she stammered, hurrying to fix her mistake. "For-forgive me!" She was climbing up onto a small rock shelf at eye level with the Soldier. "Here..." It was offered again, in trembling paws.
"Eh... Didn't mean to scare you..." he muttered, thankful the dim light from the torch in the hall didn't show his embarrassment. "Thanks for... the whatever it is in that cup..."
"Welcome! Please, drink..." Her Irken was improving as she repeated words. She took a few steps closer, holding the cup at an angle that allowed Red to actually drink it. He must have made a face at its bitterness. "It... taste bad. Drink it... all. Make better!"
He managed to. "Ugh..." Red gagged, trying to hide his disgust in the flavor. "Maybe I should've tried it before I thanked you... whatever your name is."
"Vim."
"Yeah, okay, thanks Vim." He reclined against the wall behind him. The throbbing pain in his ankle was already subsiding. "Hey... um, that... Kit or Keep thingy--"
"Ki."
"Yeah, her. Does she have Pur chained up like this?"
Vim tipped her head to the side, blinking her huge eyes. "No," she replied finally, scratching the base of one ear. "Something... wrong with his... chest. Healers are... um... confused. He is... breathing... badly."
Red's antennae flicked. Bad news. Great. More bad news. Finding out one of your only friends was doing poorly on the same day you found out exactly how you were going to die. "Will he live?"
Another ear scratch. "Healers... aren't sure..." the little creature admitted. There was silence a while before she spoke again. "You have... good healers, better... than ours." She examined her paws. "He... needs them."
He frowned. "That's going to be hard." Miserably, he kicked at a pebble with his good foot. "Considering that Ki has decided I'm going to die here. She's probably given Pur the same fate as me."
Now Vim looked upset. "Sorry..." she murmured, her tail flicking. Suddenly, she brightened, looking up at him with a hopeful expression. "You win!" she exclaimed. "Beat the... others and you... you and... Per can leave!" Her black eyes sparkled.
Red considered this for a moment. "I think you have something there..." he mused. "If I defeat whatever Ki throws at me, she'll let me and Pur go home?" He would have liked to include Ivy's name with his and Purple's... but... he had to accept that by now, she was truly dead. They would have found her if it hadn't been for that blasted Ki creature. All the more reason for him to show her up and defeat his opponent. "I like that idea." Vengeance for Ivy's death would be his.
"Good!" Vim glanced around, her ears perked. "I... I will come back with... with news of... of your... a... a..."
"Opponent?"
"Yes! I will come back!"
Red watched her go. She seemed so sure that he would prevail. Ivy had... Ivy used to have that unwavering faith in him. And he had let the child down. He'd let her die a cold, lonely death in the snow. Red bit his lip, drawing a thin line of blood drip into his mouth. He wouldn't let Purple down like that. Ivy never would have let him forget it.
"Ivee."
She uncurled slowly. Vim was looking down at her, a fearful look in her black eyes. Beside her under the thick furs, Purple shivered, his pale face wincing as he breathed. "Is he okay?" she asked, disentangling herself from her teacher's grasp. "He's not... gonna die is he...?"
"Not... Per. Your... ins... your Red. He's... the Pit."
Cold that wasn't from the air in the cavern settled in Ivy's chest. "Where is this pit?" she asked. She was already on her feet, her small hands wrapping the furs tightly around her teacher to substitute for her absence. He coughed slightly, a few flecks of blood appearing around his mouth. Ivy wiped them away gently. This kept happening, and it worried her, as did his pain in breathing. She hoped he'd be all right.
Vim let out a gasp of horror. "Ivee! Em... empaths... don't go there! It... they hurt!" Paws gripped her gloved hand. "You will hurt too much!"
"I have to see Red. You stay here with Pur. Okay?"
The furry head shook. "My sons... stay. I am co... coming!" True to her word, two young males stepped out of the shadows, their white fur standing out in the torchlight. Ivy had learned their names. The elder brother was Kep, the younger Gos. Except for the size, Ivy saw no difference between the two. Black eyes glanced nervously from Purple to herself, then back to their mother. She nodded to them before snatching up and torch and hurrying off down a tunnel. Ivy jogged after her, holding the hem of her green dress up to enable herself to move faster.
She ran after Vim, down a twisting, wandering tunnel that was dark, save for her guide's torch. From the way the little creature moved, Ivy could tell she was afraid. Vim's fear was evident in her stride, and in her mind. Frantically, Ivy pulled back, fighting to remain in her own mind, with her own thoughts and feelings. She tripped over a rock in the path, her mind elsewhere. Vim skidded to a halt, hearing her soft cry. Ivy got back up. "I... I'm okay, Vim," she mumbled, checking her hands for injury. "Let's... let's keep going."
Her guide nodded, then ran on. Ivy hiked up her dress once more, following. She hoped they would be in time. Maybe if she were there, Red would be okay. There had to be something she could do to keep him safe. After all, he had protected her for eight years. So, why shouldn't she try and return his aid? She had already forgiven him for what he had said. She had feared for him too badly not to have. Please Red, she thought, please... be okay for me...
You didn't have to speak another language to know when you were being booed, Red decided.
The choice of weapons was the only thing to his liking. He only got one choice, but that was all he needed. Once of the five weapons offered was shaped something like a bati staff. Although, instead of a pronged top, it had a single blade, like the other end. No matter. He could use it. The crowd made odd noises that Red assumed was their form of laughter. This he ignored. Let them laugh. The staff was sturdy enough for his purpose.
According to Vim, he would have to fight several foes in succession. The first would not be hard, due to the fact he had only recently healed and the fact the males thought such a skinny creature would be easily killed. If he kept winning, the opponents would become more and more difficult. Though, he had only to defeat four before he was declared the overall winner, thus releasing Purple and himself from custody.
He was indeed in a pit. A very large pit. There were two doors at either end of it, and seating at the top edges for the male furred creatures to watch. The bottom, where he stood, was black sand with darker patches. Red assumed those patches were where the losers had been standing.
Such a sport disgusted him. At no point in their recorded history had Irkens even remotely considered killing for entertainment. It made him sick. Looking above him, he saw only white coats glinting in the torchlight. All the spectators were male. Not a single female was among them. He found that odd. Vim hadn't said anything about her race being sexist. Red shrugged it off.
There wasn't any more time to think.
Across from his position, the other door slid open on squeaky pulleys. There was something seething behind it, something living and thirsting for his rose-colored blood. He could barely make out a tangled mass of writhing limbs. Red took a tighter hold on his staff as his opponent moved out to face him. It had more legs than Red cared to count, each one sliding around its slender body protectively. The legs were armored, and from the way they moved, he could tell the body was not. That was its weak point. He could see fangs protruding from what he assumed was its mouth. They were a yellow-gray color, similar to the rest of the body, coated with slimy-looking brown hairs. The crowd was making a chorus of chanting squeaks. At their noises, the creature stood on two hind legs that had remained hidden beneath the web of others. Two more clawed at the air. Each leg was armed with claws as long as Red's antennae. Each claw was tainted with blood.
This thing moved slowly. If he circled on his robotic legs, he shouldn't have a problem evading it until he was ready to whack its head off. It gave a weird gurgling chatter, lumbering towards him. Red's robotic legs shot out, carrying him safely out of harm's way. It cried out again, some of its protective legs moving to the ground to chase after him. He smirked. Now, if he could get it to do that in front of him...
Something struck him in the back, knocking him to the ground. Red rolled, his hands tightening on the staff. His back stung where the thing's claw had gouged through his armor. Twisting around, Red could see the claw had barely broken the top layer of skin, so he was safe for the moment. His robotic legs came out.
The thing's protective legs came down in order to chase him. This was what Red had been waiting for. In a swift movement, the staff came down on a squishy spot. The thing whistled, obviously hurting. Red growled. The creature's body was thick. Violently, he wrenched the staff to the side, half-severing its upper section from the rest of it. Black blood spurted. More whistling of pain as more legs attempted to hide the hole from view. He took the chance and stabbed its other side.
It staggered backwards, whistling, bleeding, and the loser. The crowd hissed down at him. He didn't care. Raising his staff over his head in both hands, Red yelled back, grinning widely. A Soldier never forgot how to fight.
In another moment, the pulley door opened again. A larger creature loomed in the shadows. This one was more heavily armored than the last, with thick plates and long legs. It looked so horribly disproportioned that Red nearly laughed. Its body was squat, with a tiny, square head and slender legs shaped like the ones in his backpod. It had a stump of a tail armed with hefty spines. Every part of it appeared covered in the plates. That made him groan.
Before him, the creature opened its mouth, revealing long, serrated teeth. Its plates stood on end, rattling. Above, the crowd went wild, squeaking, chattering, making any noise it could. It was obvious that this thing had killed many already, and thus was a favorite in this awful pit. Red got up on his robotic legs, preparing for battle. For Ivy, he thought grimly. For her sake, he'd kill anything put before him. No matter if she were dead, he still owed it to her.
Red charged it, brandishing his staff. It rushed to meet him, its fangs bared.
By the time Ivy got to the pit, she knew she was too late to help.
"He... defeated two... foes!" Vim chittered, gazing down at the arena from the mouth of the tunnel. "Is.. winning!"
Ivy shuddered fiercely. This place was horrible. Death hung in the air, as did feelings of hate, violence, cruelty and a lust to for killing. The emotions assaulted her mind, tugging at her awareness, pulling her down to a place she did not want to be. She felt ill. Vim pawed at her leg, trying to reassure her. Numbly, she made her way down to the railing that lined this horrible pit. The males around her let out not so subtle hisses at she and Vim's presence, as females were obviously not allowed here.
Her little gloved hands gripped the railing, green eyes wide and staring. Red was down there, she could see him. Two bodies of creatures Ivy had never seen before lay slain on the floor, their dark blood mixing with light-colored sand, and rose-colored blood. It was like a scene from Ivy's nightmares. Only she couldn't wake up from this one, to have Red and Purple comfort her tears away. Purple was dying of something she barely understood and Red was busy.
Frightened, she looked down at him. He was crouched in a corner, supporting himself on only three mechanical legs. The forth was wedged into the mouth of a new horror, this one shaped like a great serpent with great, shoveling claws all along its sleek, furred sides. She froze, trembling with fear. Red was bleeding from wounds Ivy failed to see. No one would stop this, she knew that much from the roiling emotions around her. Vim pressed up against her side, shaking almost as badly as she. "Thi... I seen that... one. It kill many..." the furry one murmured.
"Red..." Ivy said softly. "M'gonna lose him... he's gonna die..." Tears formed in her eyes. "And Pur's going to die too..." She had to do something! There was no way she could bear to lose them again. "RED!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the cavern. "DON'T DIE!"
His head jerked up, pained red eyes locking on her green gems. For a moment, the two stared at one another, something private passing between Student and Soldier. Then, Red struggled to his feet, leaning heavily on his weapon. His gaze locked with hers again, searching her green depths for something only he knew to look for. She wiped away a few tears, nodding to him.
The serpent struck, only to find its lower jaw spiked by the Irken's weapon. Shrieking, the creature wrenched away, one of its claws hooking around Red's legs, landing him flat on his back. He didn't move.
Ivy's hands were pressed tightly to her chest, her eyes even larger than they had been earlier. Soft words came from her lips, meant for no one but the Irken she stared so intensely at. Amazingly, his antennae twitched faintly, as if he could really hear her voice. As the serpent struck again, he rolled sideways. His foe's jaws buried themselves in rose stained sand instead of green flesh. Red was up now, teetering on three robotic legs. His weapon struck and came away with a few spines attached to a glob of brown serpent meat. Then, he was running, each robotic stride sending visible, physical, pain through his body. Behind his limping form, the serpent snapped its strong jaws, gaining on the wounded Soldier. It knocked him down in a simple flick of its head.
This time, Red showed no signs of getting back up. He lay on the sand, crumpled and broken, like the toy Soldier he'd given Ivy. It had been stepped on by a technician, then had never marched across her floor again, despite Red's clumsy attempts to fix its fractured circuits. The memory made more tears run down the child's pale green cheeks. She didn't need another broken doll.
Trembling horribly, Ivy focused on his face once more. She felt his pain as clearly as if it were her own, each injury lacerating her tender young skin. Hesitantly, she did as she had before, pulling the emotion of pain away from his mind, letting it fade safely out into the air around her. It took almost too much effort on the part of the Irken child. By the time Red was able to move again, she was near collapse. Vim, the constant presence against her leg, had to stabilize her before she fell on the hard, cold stone.
Even with his unseen aid, Red was in a losing fight. She knew it, he knew it, and the serpent knew it. It struck again, and again, in faster succession, its head weaving mercilessly. The Soldier kept fending off the blows to the best of his ability. He had never lost a fight before, never intended to do so. He was just so... tired... Blood from his wounds colored the sand. It hurt, looking up at Ivy. To know he would fail with her watching. To know she would see her unfailing Red be slain.
When the serpent struck next, he was almost ready to accept his fate. The world slowed to a fraction of its normal pace. All the sounds around him were muffled into a blur that only the horrified screams of Ivy could pierce. In slow motion, he saw the serpent strike, and his staff swing up to meet it. His pulse hummed in his head, loud, but never drowning out Ivy's voice. A gash appeared in the furred throat. The serpent kept coming, its mouth wide. Red threw himself sideways, cutting a new, horizontal hole in the thing's neck. It hissed. The head moved from side to side, trying to locate him. He dropped to his knees. This was it. He had to kill it now or be killed. Arm muscles straining, he heaved his staff up into its ribs, pushing it through the body as hard and with as much force as he had left. The serpent let out a loud shriek, writhed on the staff... and then fell, limp, as death took its hold.
Red didn't move for a moment. When the dust had begun to settle from the serpent's fall, he cautiously rose, dazed after the ordeal. He ached. Crimson eyes sought jade eyes, found them, and then softened slightly in a half-smile. He fell then, collapsing down onto the sand with a soft puff of displaced earth.
...... "Take them and go. There is a tunnel that comes up almost within the boarders of your camp. You will have an escort of our finest, as well as your friend Vim."
"Thank you Ki..."
"Bah. Don't tell the rest of your kind. I doubt those two will remember this, thank the Sun. They won't wake up unless they get medicinal care, you realize."
"Yes, Ki."
"Good. They will both last the journey there. It isn't a long one, using our roadways. Get going though. You will need all the time you can spare."
"Ki?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you...?"
"Don't ask me that, Ivy. I don't wish to speak of this right now. Be careful in your life. Your gift may cause you pain." ......
Ivy turned the conversation over and over in her head. She was safe at last in her quarters in the Irken encampment. The Tallest were in the medical building, their needs being seen to by the great med-teams of the Armada. Their journey along the roads of the subterranean Hinin had been uneventful. Vim had come with them, ordering their escort around like they were her own children, instead of veteran warriors. The memory brought a little smile to her face. However, the memory of their goodbye banished all trace of joy from her young visage. She would miss Vim. The furred female had been her only friend in that dark place, her only comfort during Red's fight and Purple's lapses from consciousness to unconsciousness. This new hurt would heal in time.
In her hands was the old Soldier figure. By anyone's reckoning, eight was too old for dolls. But this one was different. Maybe it was the fact that it was broken. Or maybe it was something she just couldn't grasp. Either way, the doll seemed to practically beg for her love from its sad, immobile position in her hands. She turned it a few times, studying its fragile make. So easy to break, and so hard to put back together again. Quietly, Ivy gazed into the blank red eyes of the doll she held. These eyes would never show their pain, nor would they glow with love. Yet, she cared for the little thing all the same. Someday, she would have to take it to be fixed. Then, maybe it would work again, it would move and dance and show emotion in its eyes as it once had.
Her antennae perked. There were footsteps outside her door. They were not the footsteps of a healthy guard, but the slow, apprehensive tread of someone being mindful of their footing. Her little body went tense. The door to her room opened with a muted hiss.
"Hey, Vee..."
It was hard not to rush over and hug Red close to her. He looked so frail, his injuries wrapped securely, and his body supported on his robotic legs and hover belt combined. She was afraid of breaking him with too tight a hold or too hasty a run to his side. Any miscalculation on her part could result in his pain increasing. She moved sideways on her bed, giving him room to rest. Red gave her a grateful smile, sinking down on the soft surface beside her. To her surprise, he grabbed her and held her tightly, nearly crushing her against his chest armor. His strength was a shock. She hugged him back, her own meager power in stark comparison with his.
"You know I never meant what I said, right?"
She nodded. "Thank you..." Ivy whispered.
Red seemed confused. "For what, Vee?" With the utmost care, his fingers lifted her chin so he could see her green eyes. He wore a soft smile.
"For coming after me..." The little Irken squirmed, uncomfortable.
"Oh. That's nothing, Ivy. You don't need to thank me for something like that. That's like thanking me for making sure you have a bed. It's not necessary." He smirked, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. "Come on! Pur's up. Wanna go see him? Maybe we can bring him a ball of slush."
Ivy forced a laugh.
It was a visible effort for Red to get up, though he made it a point to say nothing on the subject. It just wasn't Red's way. Ivy followed him attentively. He may not have asked for this, but his whole posture begged for her to stay near him. Irkens parted hastily, and Red nodded a nearly unnoticeable thanks to them. He never uttered a word about fearing for her life. The walk to Purple's room wasn't far. Even so, it took longer than Ivy would have thought to get there.
Her teacher was sitting upright, in bed, his fragile wrists attached to monitors. His skin had returned to a more normal shade of green. Though his chest armor was removed for the marks of surgery to heal, it was apparent he would heal soon. The Tallest had a book open across his knees, his face set in concentration. When he saw them, though, he smiled widely, setting the book aside to make room to hold his student. As she hugged him, Ivy made certain to hold him more gently than she had Red. Purple could shatter where Red would only break.
"Ivy-tam," Purple sighed into her antennae. "Thank Irk... Thank Irk we're all here now..."
The other Tallest sat down heavily on the bed, allowing himself a few complaints of soreness. "Yeah, Vee, next time you run off, it better be on Irk," he muttered, though he wasn't angry. "I'm too experienced to be beating up crazy alien things on your behalf, kid. And Pur here's never been in any shape to stand up to the forces of nature, even for his student."
"If I had a stick, I'd jab you in the eye." Purple was snickering anyway, running his fingers through Ivy's antennae.
"And then I'd rip it out of your hands and beat you with it," Red said, folding his arms smugly. "So there."
The little female curled closer to her teacher, watching both Tallest with a careful eye. She felt such an overwhelming love for them right now. They had paid for their hurtful argument in physical pain, and tried to make it up to her by coming for her, defending her, and protecting her as they always had. Her life had never been a lie. That she was thankful for. She was thankful for their protection, and their love. More thankful than she had ever been. She could feel how much they loved her. The emotion radiated in her mind like the warmth from Irk's sun, or the heat from the vents in each room. Empathy, Ki had called it. What exactly it was didn't worry her. All she worried now was keeping her Tallest alive, letting them heal back to their old selves.
Ivy let their conversation wash over her, merely basking in their care.